Lean
Tip #736 - Times of Great Difficulty Are Times of Great Opportunity.
These
times may not seem ideal at first, but they usually provide keen insight into
ideas of great value. When you are
surrounded by problems, you are simultaneously given an opportunity to provide
valuable solutions. When times are good and everything is comfortably in order,
it’s easy to become complacent and forget how skillful and resourceful you are
capable of being. Troubled times are
necessary evils that push you forward, because they eventually end, and the
lessons and strengths you gain from them last a lifetime.
Lean
Tip #737 - Involve Employees in Decisions That Affect Their Jobs.
Provide
them with opportunities to share what they need in order to be successful at
their jobs. Whenever possible, include a representative staff member in major
planning projects or initiatives. Encourage employees to share and discuss
ideas for improvement.
Lean
Tip #738 – Use the Right Tools and Skills for the Job
Regardless
of your operation – staff motivation is influenced by the following factors:
having the right person in the job who is capable of doing it; equipping them
to do the job by giving them the right tools and support and finally setting
realistic targets that they believe can be achieved. This shows the staff that we are responding
to the challenges of the marketplace and supporting them in every way we can.
Lean
Tip #739 - Training is Always Good, It Keeps People Current and Focused On The
Job.
Regular,
effective and relevant training is massively important and a great motivator.
If you want them to perform properly and consistently then you have to give
them the tools to do so. Training is always good, it keeps people up to date
and focused on the job at hand, it keeps their skills at the forefront and it
will show them that management are obviously concerned with how well they do
their job, etc. If they are given good quality training that covers the topics
and issues they are faced with then they will respond and to a certain extent
motivate themselves to stick with what they learn.
Lean
Tip #740 - Provide Challenge and Variety in the Workplace
It
is important for employees to be challenged or learning new things in their
job. Too often managers don’t allow
their employees to expand beyond their areas of expertise. Managers are fearful that they will need to
expend too much energy on training or reviewing work, that there will be too
many mistakes, or that the employees don’t want to have to learn more. Job sharing, job rotations, special projects,
strategic offsites, or even including employees in on key decisions can have a
significant and positive impact on long term motivation.
Lean
Tip #741 - Change Your Mindset About The Cost of Training.
If
you think of training as a business expense, that's what it becomes. However,
if you think of training as an investment, that's what it becomes. What would
you rather do, pay bills or invest in your team? By thinking of training as an
investment, you will also expect a return. This focus guides you in everything
from selecting the right training to evaluating its results.
Lean
Tip #742 - Engage in Ongoing Employee Skill Development
Managerial
training responsibilities extend far beyond simply going over work procedures
and sending employees to classes when they need to master a new skill.
Effective workforce training is an ongoing process that requires supervisors to
engage in ongoing skill development with their employees. Managers must engage
in informal training needs assessment on an ongoing basis, paying attention to
employees' strengths and weaknesses and identifying gaps that can be overcome
through training opportunities.
Lean
Tip #743 - Convey "What's in It" for the Trainees
In
order for employee training to be successful, trainees must know up front how
any educational activity they are asked to participate in is relevant to them.
When a training program is announced, be sure to specify what employees are
likely to get from participating and reinforce that message with consistency
throughout the training. Skilled trainers know that helping employees see
"what is in it for them" is essential to success.
Lean
Tip #744 – Create a Positive Learning Environment To Encourage Development
Creating
a positive learning environment will encourage development and help your
employees gain confidence in their new position. Trainers should be relaxed and
clearly explain the reasoning behind every new exercise and lesson.
Negativity
will only inhibit the learning process, so it's important to be patient, allow
for mistakes, and always reward new achievements. This positive feedback will
reinforce and affirm the efforts of your new recruits, and encourage them to
continue learning.
Lean
Tip #745 – It’s Critical to Promote Continuous Learning Throughout Employee’s
Career
Proper
training should not be reserved for new employees. In order to maintain a staff
of trained and well-integrated employees, it's critical to promote continuous
learning throughout their careers. There are always new things for employees to
learn and the rate of change in the business world demands new skills, fresh
perspectives and new ideas. Training should be utilized to ensure that your
employees are continually learning and improving.
Lean
Tip #746 – Lean Managers Share Their Vision With Employees
Few
things cause employees to tune out faster than a management team that keeps the
company's future direction to itself. Successful Lean leaders see the larger
picture and will share the vision.
Lean
Tip #747 – Lean Managers Foster Team-Building
Fostering
a connected team is an important practice, but before implementing group events
and activities, be sure members of your team won't feel left out. Getting to
know your team members is generally an effective way to build collaboration and
a sense of joint purpose.
Lean
Tip #748 – Lean Managers Provide Training To Their Employees
According
to a 2011 report from Accenture, 55% of workers in the U.S. say they are under
pressure to develop new skills, but only 21% say their companies have provided
training to learn those new skills within the last five years. Training is a
lever that changes the rate of improvement you can achieve.
Lean
Tip #749 – Lean Managers Follow-Through On Employee Ideas
Most
employees like to feel their work has meaning. If they don't get this kind of
satisfaction, they lose motivation, according to a number of research studies.
One sure way to demean an employee's work is to move them off a project before
it's completed. Lean leaders must follow-up on employee ideas.
Lean
Tip #750 – Lean Managers Eliminate Fear In The Workplace
Managers
who rule through rigid control, negativity, and a climate of anxiety and fear
don’t trust that they can get things done any other way. Of course, it
backfires in the end because fearful employees won’t bring up new ideas for
fear of being attacked and won’t be honest about problems. Moreover, very few
great people with options are going to want to work for a fear-based manager.
